Great Daze ahead for readers

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| Thursday, May 26, 2005 3:08 AM CDT | () comments

Mary Louise Speer

The Bettendorf Public Library is bringing days of yore to mind with this summer's reading programs for book lovers of all ages.

The theme of the children's program is "Dragons, Dreams and Daring Deeds," and children can participate on three reading levels from the read-to-me set, to beginning and older readers.

"We've never used a medieval theme for a summer reading program, and we thought it translated into a great program for us," Tami Chumbley, youth services manager, said.

The theme was developed by a consortium of 22 states that pool their resources to create reading programs, she said. Both Chumbley and Maria Levetzow, the young adult librarian, wrote chapters for the resource book.

Children are asked to read a certain number of books and complete a reading log. The program started on May 23 and wraps up July 30.

Youngsters are eligible for prizes at the half-way mark and when completing their logs. The older readers, for example, are asked to read either 16 books or complete a total of 960 pages.

Children also are invited to attend special tie-in events from a story time on June 16 at the Bettendorf Farmer's Market to a Once Upon A Time make-it and take-it craft day on July 21.

Levetzow's program for children entering grades 6-12 is "Good Knights and Great Daze." Participants are asked to accumulate pages or minutes of reading through reading or listening to books on tape, reading magazines or newspapers and/or writing book reviews. Special programming for the teen readers includes a role-playing group meeting weekly on Saturdays and medieval movies in July.

Adults can get in the spirit of the times by reading six books of their choice in "A Midsummer Night's Read."

The major programming sponsors are: Trinity at Terrace Park and Friends of the Bettendorf Public Library, The Machine Shed, Texas Road House, Chili's and Famous Dave's and Celebration Belle contributed prizes for the children's program, and the Teen Advisory Board gave toward the teen program.

Contact the Bettendorf News at

(563) 383-2396 or bettnews@qctimes.com.